# Poor Circulation..



## Karren (Feb 15, 2008)

Anyone have poor blood circulation especially in the arms and legs? I have always had an indication of this... My hands and feet get real cold easily.. But lately I've been having some problem with my left hand that's scaring me a bit... When I grab and hold something tight for a little while (steering wheel in a snow storm or a heavy bag strap)... I feel one or two of my fingers getting cold and when I look down they are completely white.. No blood in them... Like it stopped flowing. Really scared me the first time it happened... And a few minutes of moving my fingers around and massageing them, they pink up and warm up.. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes. I also have low blood pressure... So I'm going to go find a specialist and see what she thinks...

Anyone ever have this happen??

Karren


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## Lia (Feb 15, 2008)

I think it might be Raynaud's disease - when it gets cold, some people get their extremities really blue (i'm one of them - my lips and toes and fingernails mostly)

*Raynaud's Disease and Raynaud's Phenomenon*

Raynaud's disease and Raynaud's phenomenon are conditions in which small arteries (arterioles), usually in the fingers or toes, constrict more tightly in response to exposure to cold.

Doctors use the term Raynaud's disease when no cause is apparent. They use the term Raynaud's phenomenon when a cause is known. Raynaud's disease is much more common than Raynaud's phenomenon. Between 60% and 90% of cases of Raynaud's disease occur in young women aged 15 to 40.

Anything that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, particularly exposure to cold but also strong emotion, can cause arteries to constrict and thus trigger Raynaud's disease.

Raynaud's phenomenon may be caused by scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, cryoglobulinemia, an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), injury, or reactions to certain drugs, such as beta-blockers, clonidine, and the antimigraine drugs ergotamine and methysergide

. Use of such drugs, which constrict blood vessels, can also make Raynaud's phenomenon worse. Some people with Raynaud's phenomenon also have other disorders that occur when arteries are prone to constrict. These disorders include migraine headaches, variant angina, and high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). The association of Raynaud's phenomenon with these disorders suggests that the cause of arterial constriction may be the same in all of them.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Constriction of small arteries in the fingers and toes begins quickly, most often triggered by exposure to cold. It may last minutes or hours. The fingers and toes become pale or bluish, usually in patches. Only one finger or toe or parts of one or more may be affected. The fingers or toes usually do not hurt, but numbness, tingling, a pins-and-needles sensation, and a burning sensation are common. As the episode ends, the affected areas may be redder than usual or bluish. Rewarming the hands or feet restores normal color and sensation. However, if episodes of Raynaud's phenomenon recur and are prolonged (especially in people with scleroderma), the skin of the fingers or toes may become smooth, shiny, and tight. Small painful sores may appear on the tips of the fingers or toes.

Often, no procedures are needed to make the diagnosis. If doctors suspect an artery is blocked, color Doppler ultrasonography (see Symptoms and Diagnosis of Heart and Blood Vessel Disorders: Echocardiography and Other Ultrasound Procedures) may be performed before and after the person is exposed to cold. Doctors may also order blood tests to check for conditions that can cause

Raynaud's phenomenon.

Treatment

People can control mild Raynaud's disease by protecting their head, trunk, arms, and legs from cold. For those who experience symptoms when they get excited, mild sedatives or biofeedback may help. People who have the disorder must stop smoking because nicotine constricts blood vessels.

Raynaud's disease is commonly treated with a calcium channel blocker , such as nifedipine, amlodipine, diltiazem, or verapamil

. Other antihypertensives, such as doxazosin, phenoxybenzamine, prazosin, reserpine, and terazosin, may be effective. They may be used alone or in combination.

If the disorder becomes progressively disabling and other treatments do not work, certain sympathetic nerves may be temporarily blocked or even cut to relieve the symptoms in a procedure called sympathectomy. However, even when this procedure is effective, relief may last only 1 to 2 years. This procedure is usually more effective for people with Raynaud's disease than for those with Raynaud's phenomenon. For people with Raynaud's phenomenon, the disorder causing it is treated

Source


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## Darla (Feb 15, 2008)

any potential conflict with medications you are already taking? Did you look that one up too?



I may not be a doctor, but i did stay at a Holiday Inn last night!


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## Gleam84 (Feb 15, 2008)

Yeah sounds like your symptoms could be a sign of Raynaud's disease.

I was diagnosed with that when I was 16 and it's been treated with nifedipine. I also have low blood pressure, so it's kind of problematic to use nifedipine for this disease, and not to make my BP too low at the same time (that has happened!). It hasn't helped me that much nowadays though. Actually, my symptoms have gotten worse every year (I'm 23 now). I guess, I should go to see a physician too.


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## ~*Helen*~ (Feb 15, 2008)

I get Raynauds in my toes when I'm on a cold surface for a period of time. Can be scarey seeing all the blood just go!

I think it can be hereditary as both my Gran and Uncle have it.


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## Karren (Feb 15, 2008)

Thanks and wow!!! Funny I've never heard of Raynauds... And your right.. To look down and see two fingers completely white really scared me.. Was thinking blood clot and loosieing a couple fingers!!

I taking Bromocriptine (paradol) for my pitutary which already lowers my bp enough so that I get dizzy if I stand up fast.. And I wonder if low bp and Raynauds go together... Getting old sucks!! Lol


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## monniej (Feb 20, 2008)

wow! thanks so much for the information. this happened to my son this weekend and we were pretty freaked out by it. just his left hand and arm were really cold. i massaged it well and it did seem to help some, but it took quite a while before it seemed to return to a normal temp.


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## bella1342 (Feb 20, 2008)

Originally Posted by *Labrat81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have Raynaud's. The nailbeds of my fingers and toes turn blue if I'm just a tiny bit cold. This happens indoors when the temperature is lower then 65 degrees F. This happened to me too... I'm in my house right now and my fingernails are almost purple. It's always happened to me, and everyone just said I have poor circulation.
The only thing that's different though, is my blood pressure is always excellent.. just what it should be. So I don't get it. Do you have to have the low blood pressure to have this?


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## Jinx (Feb 20, 2008)

My bf has poor circulation; his hands and feet are always clammy and his nail beds are always blue. 

His has problems with dizzy spells and on occassion fainting. Even when he had back surgery his pressure suddenly dropped while on the table and he started to bleed out.

He hasn't been diagnosed with anything so we don't have any way to control it; it's not low blood pressure causing poor circulation because his pressure drops but is not consistantly low, there are just sudden drops.


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## Karren (Feb 20, 2008)

From everything I've read so far its more of a nerve problem.. Where signals are sent to the vessels in the fingers that cause them to constrict.. I have traced all my episodes to high stress caused by driving in snow storms.. I initally thought it was because I was grabbing the steering wheel too hard but now I'm sure its stress.. Because it has happened when I wasn't holding anything tight..


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## laurie_lu (Feb 21, 2008)

Your fingers symptoms sound like a bulging cervical disk in your neck to me. The bulging disk compresses the nerve that comes out from the spinal cord and vertebrae. This nerve controls sensation and motor function to the arm, hand, and fingers.


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## Karren (Feb 23, 2008)

Well it happened again on the drive to work... in the snow and ice... Driving and stress seem to be my big trigger. And it's not so scarry anymore now that I know what it is... Sure enough it went a way in about 5 minutes.. When I calmed down.. lol


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## laurie_lu (Feb 23, 2008)

Originally Posted by *Karren_Hutton* /img/forum/go_quote.gif Driving and stress seem to be my big trigger. When a person gets stressed, they tighten up their muscles involuntarily. Your muscles in your neck are probably tightening especially with your arms &amp; sholders slightly elevated holding onto the steering wheel. This makes that bulging disk in your neck pop out even more, compressing the nerve.
Try taking some anti inflammatories such as Motrin or Advil. They will decrease the inflammation in that disk space of your neck. Buy one of those contoured memory foam pillows. It will keep your head and neck in proper alignment and prevent inpingement of the cervical spine nerve.

You should really see a doctor though and get a real diagnosis and treatment.


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## Karren (Feb 23, 2008)

Thanks, Laurie Lu... I fiure I'll see my PCP here shortly for my annual checkup... Never ever had any neck or nerver problems before... I play ice hockey twice a week so I'm very active... from what I've read, if it is Raynaud's and the photos of people with Raynaud's i've seen match mine exactually.... it's more of the nerves locally in the hand... and the origin is unknown.... Welcome to the Raynaud's Association


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## Lia (Feb 24, 2008)

I'd suggest you going to a doctor - he/she can tell you what's best for that


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